Guidewires are generally used as guide wires in the medical field for the introduction of parts into the human body and, in particular, into vessels or organs thereof. By means of such guide wires it is possible to introduce and, optionally fit into the human body, catheters, locks, implantable catheters (stents), cannulas, etc.
Known guide wires comprise one or more helically wound strands and, in the case of a wound strand, the helixes generally have a very limited pitch, whereas several wires are often twisted with a high pitch. The front insertion end of such a guide wire is blunted and is provided there with a bead, cap, etc. The latter is held by a fine locking wire extending within the helix and is welded thereto. Such a guide wire is in several parts and has the aforementioned, as well as further weld points. Such welds are predetermined breaking points, because they cam break in the case of a limited loading or stressing due to fatigue phenomena thereof. A further weak point is constituted by the thin locking filament, because the latter only has a very limited diameter. There is a further considerable risk that at the helixes in the area between two turns, hooking together can occur as a result of the acute angle of the opening area between the two turns of other parts used during the introduction process, such as cannulas, particularly when they are provided with obliquely ground ends and as a result there can be a breaking of the guide wire or of the helical wire or wires. A danger exists that parts of the guide wire can become detached and remain in the body, such cases being known.